I know
by Danielle Winters
Summary: It takes one look to know that beneath the teasing and bullying, a deeper feeling was blooming. Natsume and Mikan takes their relationship in a new level.


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**I Know **

By: Danielle Winters

**Author's Note:** Hi there! It's not easy being in your third year in college, especially if your course is Psychology. I think my social life had been officially disintegrated into nothing because of too many projects. I know I should not be ranting about this stuff but honestly, I've been experiencing Writer's Block because of too much Technical Writing (major sweat drop). Anyways, this is my first fan-fiction after eight months so I hope you will like it. I'll be waiting for your reviews. Oh yeah, I often write Sailor Moon and Naruto fan-fictions but lately I wrote an Aoshi-Misao and Soujiro-Misao fic.

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He was sitting on a Cherry Blossom tree looking at the distant sky. The sun was setting and he wondered how life would be if he was outside the protective yet constricting walls of Alice Academy. It has been seven years since the Reo-incident and since then peace has been restored in their chaotic school. Hyuuga Natsume sighed and then he closed his eyes. It has been seven years also since a "polka dots" girl arrived in their school looking for her best friend and since then, life was never the same for the students of Alice Academy.

He had to admit that he was irritated by here cheerfulness and he had always thought that she did not belong in that school. Of course she has an exceptional alice which is the nullifying alice but for him, he did not want another student trapped inside that seemingly wonderful school. They were not in there because they were special (the fact that they have powers) and that they need to be protected, the primary reason they were there was for money. He did not want her to experience how it was like to be sent on missions. He wondered why he was so protective of her (in his won weird way) back then and why he had pushed her every time she attempts to strike a conversation with him. Back then, he did everything to make her give-up studying there and makes her go back to her grand father. He called her names and he teased her. He was always mean to her because he had to save her from that school. It seemed like he was the one saved though.

"Natsume…" someone called. He looked down to see who it was and he saw his best friend Nogi Ruka. The blonde young man was still carrying a rabbit in his arms in spite of his age.

"Ruka…" he called back.

"What are you doing here? Aren't you joining the closing party of the Alice Festival?" he asked as he took a seat under the shade of the Cherry Blossom tree.

"I will…I just want to be alone for the mean time though."

Natsume looked at his best friend and a small smile crept on his face. Once in his life, he had considered Ruka as a rival for the attention of the girl whom he didn't know he loves even when they were still in their younger years. He remembered how he threw an apple to stop Mikan from kissing Ruka during a play that the somatic type prepared for the Alice Festival when they were still in elementary. He knew that his best friend still likes her but in a brotherly way though.

He still envied him because he can talk with her smoothly and she would always smile at him. He sighed once again, he should outgrow from teasing her for crying out loud! They were already 17 and they were no longer the noisy elementary students of Alice Academy.

Speaking of changes, Natsume had to admit that the subject of his late afternoon musing had indeed changed a lot. She was no longer a crybaby and she did not cling to her best friend now. She had outgrown her loudness too but she was still cheerful and energetic. She still wore that sweet smile, concerned brown eyes and warm demeanor whenever she was around with her friends. Despite the fact that he pushes her away from him, she had considered him as one of her precious friends. Her hair, instead of being tied in two long pig tails, she now wears it loosely. Sometimes, she has her hair in a half-pony.

"You're thinking about Mikan right?" his friend suddenly said. It pulled him out of his daydream. 'How the heck did he know about what he was thinking?!' Natsume asked himself.

Ruka let out a deep breath and smiled "you're probably thinking how I knew about it? Simple, because you're wearing that smile on your face." Ruka stared at his best friend who was obviously surprised by his observation. "You smile like that when you're looking at her when no one looks at you." Ruka added. Natsume hid his eyes under his bangs and somehow, he was glad that the sun was setting because it camouflages the red tint on his cheeks. Ruka stood up and walked away to leave his friend. He knew that Natsume likes to be alone for the moment.

"Ruka…" he called out while casting his gaze on the setting sun. The blonde turned to look at his best friend.

"What is it?" he asked.

"…nothing."

Ruka just smiled and began his trek back to the school building "You better start your preparation for the closing party. There's a ball as always and I heard that Andou Tsubasa will come. There's a big chance he'll ask Mikan to dance with him." He said while walking away from his friend. Natsume felt his heart constricted. There was a pang of jealousy raging inside him.

Andou Tsubasa, Mikan's would-be older brother who was already an alumni of Alice Academy. He became a famous novelist while he was still in college but he still used his alice especially if it was to protect Mikan or Misaki. He was jealous of him because he thought that Mikan liked him in a special way and he in return feels the same way. Whenever he hears that name, he had this feeling of wanting to burn something or someone alive. He remembered how he touched Mikan when Mikan was clinging to him while crying during the role-playing game the special ability types prepared. He was outraged and he knew Koko had read his mind but he didn't care, he wanted to burn that Andou alive. Even know, when he thinks about that scenario makes his blood boil with jealousy. He wanted to skin Tsubasa Andou alive and if he even intends to ask Mikan to have her last dance tonight, he swears to himself that he'll burn that "sempai" in front of the guests.

He saw Imai Hotaru riding her new flying duck pass him by. The sight of Imai made him envious once more. How he wished he was Hotaru so that he would have the unrelenting support of Mikan. Hotaru is Mikan's best friend and was the primary reason why Mikan came to their school. Somehow, he was glad that Mikan was stupid and naïve enough to follow Hotaru and in a way, he was thankful to Hotaru because if it was not for her, none of them would meet Mikan. Ruka and Hotaru has been dating for three years and he wondered how his best friend had managed to stick with the blackmailing queen of the Academy.

Seven years…it was long enough. He loved Mikan from a distance for seven long years and this time, he will finally admit it. He doesn't know how but he'll think of a way to tell it to her. He needed to tell her so that no one would come near her anymore, so that he'll have her smile all to himself. He knew that his decision would cause an uproar in the school most especially to his fan girls but he does not care. He was breaking the ice around him just for her. Things will have to change, after all, the only permanent thing in this world is change.

"Natsume-nisan…" for the second time that afternoon, his attention was called. It was Youichi, whom he treated like a younger brother and who also possess a dangerous type of alice.

"Youichi…what is it?"

"I was just wondering of you're going to the party or not."

"I am…"

"I saw her…Mikan-san was eating Fluff Puffs with Andou Tsubasa at Central town."

"Is that all?" Natsume asked trying to suppress the rage in him.

"They were accompanied by Imai-san and another woman who can have a doppelganger." Youichi added. After hearing it, Natsume's anger decreased. 'They were not alone…that's good' he thought.

"Will you be telling her tonight?"

"Telling her what?" Natsume asked and he looked at Youichi while waiting for an answer.

"That you like her…" Youichi answered. Natsume was surprised. "If you are wondering how I knew about it…" Youichi turned his back and began walking away from him "…it was because of the way you looked at her…" and then he disappeared from Natsume's sight. Natsume chuckled to himself. He did not know that he was that transparent, Imai probably noticed the changes in him too.

**Alice Festival- Closing Party and Ball**

Natsume came wearing the prescribed tuxedo for the male students. Some were already dancing while some were in their tables, eating, drinking and talking wit each other. He quickly saw Mikan who was wearing the prescribed dress for the female students. She was wearing a white tube-dress. Her hair was cascading on her shoulders. She was sitting together with Hotaru, Ruka, Yuu, Anna, Sumire, Koko, Mochu and Sanoko.

He was about to approach them when he saw that someone had asked Mikan to dance with him. It was not Andou Tsubasa and that fact that it was a different man made his blood boil. He would've let it pass if it was Andou but it was a stranger. Koko caught Natsume giving the man who was asking Mikan to dance a death glare.

"Mikan can't dance right now…" Koko said.

"I can't?!" Mikan asked in surprise. The others gave Koko a questioning look.

"Uhm…err…someone might skin you alive if you ever decide to get near her you know." Koko reasoned out. It was a lame excuse of course and it made the others raise their eye brows.

"Koko you're funny!" Mikan said. She was about to give her hand to the man who was asking her to dance when suddenly the sleeve of his tuxedo was set on fire. Everyone in that table rushed to get a glass of water. Natsume came with an evil smirk on his face.

"I did warn you…" Koko said while the man ran out of the place.

"Natsume…it was you who set that fire right?" the concerned Yuu asked.

"What fire?" Natsume asked innocently.

"Oh don't feign your innocence Natsume!" Mikan said disapprovingly "the poor young man was just asking me to dance so that does not concern any of them. There's no need for you to be over-protective or to act like a total jerk!"

"Oh so polka dots is enjoying the ball and the attention." Natsume teased.

"What if I am? Don't I have the right to enjoy this evening?"

"In my opinion…" Natsume rolled his eyes and the he gave Mikan a smirk "NO."

"That's it!" Mikan was clenching her fist. She walked pass Natsume and left the group.

"Mikan where are you going?!" Yuu asked loudly.

"To get something to drink or to eat and to get away from a jerk!" she shouted back.

"That jerk!!!" Mikan was muttering under her breath while walking towards a Cherry Blossom tree. "Why does he have to ruin this night?!" Mikan said out loud. She sat under the shade of the Cherry Blossom tree and looked at the full moon. She had just lost her interest in going back in that party because Natsume was going to ruin it anyway. "Natsume…you're such an idiot…and I was planning to tell you that I'm in love with you tonight even if you're going to reject me." She said as she raised her knees near her body and placed her arms around it. She was about to cry when…

"At least I have you to myself in a place we can surely call as our hang-out" Natsume was in front of her, standing while looking at her intensely with his crimson orbs. Mikan was not sure if he was giving her a death glare or was just seriously staring at him. She was surprised to see him there and suddenly she realized that she was talking to herself out loud. He might have heard what she had said. It took her several seconds to register what he had said 'have her to himself? What does he mean by that?' she mentally asked.

"I need you to answer three questions for me…" Natsume said as he decreased the distance between them. "Why didn't you leave Alice Academy when you had the chance when you saved me from that warehouse?"

"Because I can't leave my friends behind. I can't leave you behind in that terrible situation. We belong here, in Alice Academy. Sure it isn't the perfect place and there's a lot going on but still, we can laugh, learn and play together. We may not be with our families but at least we have each other." Mikan answered.

"Why are you always worried about me?" Natsume asked as he knelt down in front of Mikan.

"Because I care and you are special to me. You're annoying sometimes and a total jerk but it's alright. I know it was just your way to protect us so that we would not get involve with the underground business of the school. Also, I believe that you have the right to enjoy, to laugh and to smile just like us that's why…that's why I'm trying my best to cheer you up…but I guess…" she looked away from him "I'm a failure…" Natsume held Mikan's face and gently forced her to look at him. Mikan saw a different glint in the crimson orbs of Natsume. They were filled with contentment and with…

…Love. She was not sure if she what she was seeing was true but she really did saw lovw in those red eyes of Natsume. "Lastly…" he softly said "will you allow me to love you?" he finally said it. Natsume felt like he was liberated from his prison when he had asked that to Mikan.

"Natsume…what do you mean—"

"I love you Mikan"

Tears began falling from her eyes as she sweetly smiled at Natsume. She had waited for seven years and now, Natsume finally said the three words she has been waiting to hear. She lunged herself to him and locked him in a tight embrace. Natsume put his arms around her and pulled her closer to him. He closed his eyes and just enjoyed the feeling of having Mikan in his arms. It took him seven years to finally tell her what he truly feels. This time though, he has no plans of letting her go or letting her hang by a moment. He'll cherish every second they'll spend together and for he knew that they've wasted so many opportunities.

Will she allow him to love her? After all that she did for him, she organized an alice dodgeball game just to let him have a relaxing time, she saved him when he was kidnapped by Reo, she helped him save Ruka when Reo brainwashed Ruka. She stood by his side even though he had constantly pushed her away. She was worried when he was out on missions and she would panic when he has wounds or injuries. She fears the day that he would disappear because of using his alice. At first she did not understand why she did all those things just for him. She was contented by saying to herself that she did those because Natsume was her friend. She somehow realized that there was a deeper meaning, that her feelings for him were beyond friendship and finally she realized that she was in love with him. She had realized it years ago, when they were still in Middle School but she has decided to keep it to herself and be contented to love him from a distance. Mikan somehow felt that she needed to tell it to him even though she knew that she would be rejected and she planned to tell her feeling to the Black Cat during the ball but as fate would have it, she was the one caught in surprise because it was the Back Cat who confessed his feelings for her first. Will she allow him to love her? She only has one answer to that question…

"I love you too Natsume." She said and that was the answer he was waiting for. He embraced her tightly as if she would disappear any moment he choose to let her go. He was happy, contented having her in his arms. They've waited long enough and it's finally the time to give their relationship a chance to grow. Hyuuga Natsume finally found peace and he found it when he allowed a certain "polka dots" to enter into his life.

Above one of the tall trees stood in one of its branches a young man with ebony hair and he was wearing a bonnet. Beside him, a young woman sat contently with a serene smile on her face.

"Albeit he'll be more cautious around you now that Mikan is officially his girl friend." Misaki teased.

"Then I'll have more fun, after all, teasing and making Hyuuga jealous is something I'm fond of doing even though we already graduated from this academy." Tsubasa retorted with a wicked grin on his face. He was happy for his little sister and for the Black Cat and deep down his mind, he wished for their happiness.

"Well, they'll be the talk of the school when news about this spreads…" a blonde man with blue eyes said. Tsubasa and Misaki looked at the other tree and saw Narumi Sensei with Noda-sensei standing on another tree branch while looking at the couple below.

"Persona wouldn't be too happy about this but I guess there's nothing much he could do about it." Noda-sensei added.

"We should hope for their happiness and look forward to the improvement in their new found relationship don't you think?" Narumi-sensei said back. Noda-sensei, Tsubasa and Misaki all nodded in agreement.

In a distance, a group of people were watching the sweet scene unfold. Ruka and Hotaru smiled at each other while Yuu was wiping a tear from his eye. Anna and Sanoko were crying because of joy while Sumire just smiled. Mochu and Youichi just watched with contented smiles on their faces while Koko leaned on a tree. "Finally…" he said out loud. Execpt for Ruka, Hotaru and Youichi, they all looked at him.

"What do you mean by that?" Anna asked.

"Yeah, tell us…" Mochu added.

"For the past seven years, I've been reading those two lovebirds' minds. They liked each other since grade school but have decided to keep it to themselves and so finally, they both admitted it." Koko explained.

"Ehhhh!?!" the others exclaimed.

Ruka and Hotaru watched their best friends quietly while ignoring the others who were surprised by Koko's report.

"Well aren't you taking their pictures?" Ruka teased. Hotaru smiled.

"Not tonight…it's a special night for those two…" Hotaru said.

"Did you know that Mikan is in love with Natsume?" Ruka asked. He got a squeeze from Hotaru and he looked at her. He did not need to ask that question because like him, she knew of her best friend's feeling for Mikan.

"I know." She simply said as she leaned her head on Ruka's shoulder. Ruka wrapped his arm around her and pulled her closer to him "I know too…" he whispered and both of them have a sweet smile on their face as they watched their best friends.

**The End**

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Well I hope you liked this one shot fan-fiction. I will be waiting for your reviews ) Thanks for reading! 


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